Conventional infusion pumps enable a caregiver to intravenously deliver fluid to a patient. A process of delivering fluid-based drugs using a conventional infusion pump typically requires multiple operations.
For example, a physician must first generate a medication order (prescription) specifying one or more fluid-based drugs for delivery to a particular patient in a hospital. A pharmacy in the hospital receives the medication order supplied by the physician. In accordance with the medication order, the pharmacy dispenses a corresponding physical order by providing the drugs to a caregiver for delivery to a respective patient.
In certain instances, the medication order includes multiple fluid-based drugs that need to be administered intravenously to the respective patient. In such an instance, and assuming that each of the fluid-based drugs must be delivered by a separate fluid delivery system (fluid pump), the caregiver overseeing the patient must locate multiple fluid delivery systems (fluid pumps) in the hospital. Locating one or more fluid delivery systems itself may be a difficult task because the hospital may not keep good track of unused medical equipment.
Subsequent to locating one or more needed fluid delivery systems, the caregiver typically must transport the fluid delivery systems to a site where the patient resides. At the patient's bedside, in accordance with the medication order information, the caregiver operates the one or more fluid delivery systems to intravenously deliver the corresponding prescribed fluid-based drugs to the patient. In accordance with the medical order, each fluid pump then must be individually programmed by the caregiver to intravenously dispense the fluid to the patient.